GIA Invalidates 1,000+ Grading Reports After Hackers Alter Data

RAPAPORT... GIA has invalidated grading reports for 1,042 diamonds submitted primarily to its India grading laboratory after an outside party gained unauthorized access to GIA’s grading information database altered the reports, according to an October 23 announcement.

Clients that submitted the diamonds in question have been contacted and suspended from further submissions to GIA pending continued investigation.

The alterations included both color and clarity grades, according to the statement.

Most of the diamonds were submitted in India. Many were graded in full or in part at other GIA locations including Carlsbad and New York. Some stones were submitted directly to GIA in Carlsbad. The diamonds were submitted between November 2014 and September 2015; approximately 900 were submitted in July and August.

A list of the invalidated reports has been posted on the group’s website.

“GIA strongly requests that anyone in possession of any of these diamonds or grading reports return them immediately to GIA for examination,” the announcement said. GIA has strengthened its controls following the incident.

GIA said internal controls identified discrepancies in grading information. The group then initiated an investigation with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a contractor that supports GIA databases.

The announcement said the investigation indicated that one or more former employees of TCS remotely made the unauthorized changes to alter grades before reports were printed and sent to clients. The hackers were said to be acting at the behest of parties unrelated to GIA or TCS.

Indian law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the matter, GIA said.